\Most of us have probably experienced it. We’ve had a slip, trip, or fall occur due to a brief lack of focus. Maybe you were thinking about a personal problem or were distracted due to an activity. Either way, it caused you to lose balance. A stumble down a flight of stairs. A trip on a slanted surface. The act of slipping and sliding on the ice. These can result in various unfortunate outcomes, ranging from a simple bruised shin to a life-threatening injury. And a wandering mind is only one of many factors and circumstances that can lead to workplace slips, trips, and falls. In an effort to bolster safety, you should heed our tips to prevent slip and fall accidents in the warehouse.
Create Good Housekeeping Practices
We can’t overstate the importance of good housekeeping. Housekeeping and safety are inextricably linked. If your facility’s cleaning practices aren’t up to par, it could lead to more employee injuries, rising insurance costs, and regulatory citations. That’s why an immaculately clean and organized facility is a positive indication that an organization’s overall safety program is effective.
Reduce Wet or Slippery Surfaces
Walking surfaces are responsible for a large number of injuries that state agencies record. When the weather changes, the traction on outdoor surfaces can fluctuate dramatically. As moisture comes as people arrive from outside, these conditions can harm indoor surfaces. Indoor control techniques, such as using moisture-absorbent mats with beveled edges in entrance areas, displaying wet floor notices, and putting anti-skid adhesive tape in difficult locations, can help reduce the occurrence of slips and falls.
Avoid Creating Obstacles in Aisles and Walkways
Trips caused by litter, materials, and equipment in aisles, hallways, entranceways, and stairwells can also result in injuries. The most effective control measure for preventing the spread of these types of risks is proper housekeeping in work and traffic areas. This entails having policies or processes in place and allowing time for cleaning, especially when an operation generates scrap material or waste. Avoiding stringing cords, cables, or air hoses across hallways or in any designated aisle is a smart strategy to eliminate trip risks. Clean and organize all work areas, corridors, storerooms, and service areas, as doing so will significantly reduce the chances of trips.
Post Appropriate Signage
Signage that is clear and well-placed might draw attention to possible issue areas. A sign highlighting a step, gap, uneven terrain, or loose rocks will show the danger and raise awareness and alertness. Reflective tape can also surround problem areas so that workers can be cautious around them. Other approaches for reducing accidents could include using various signs, such as cordage signs and wet floor signs. Doing so will help reduce the amounts of accidents occurring, thus highlighting the importance of signage in the warehouse.
We hope our tips will help you prevent slip and fall accidents in the warehouse in the future! While slip and fall accidents are a large portion of the injuries in the warehouse, other injuries are just as common! Make sure you invest in robust safety measures throughout the entire warehouse.
